


Apologies

by SassyInkPen



Category: Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Gen, Old West
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-18
Updated: 2009-11-18
Packaged: 2017-10-03 07:51:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SassyInkPen/pseuds/SassyInkPen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A postscript to "Manhunt", inspired by our conversations about the tensions between Vin, Buck and Ezra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apologies

"I'm tellin' ya, his eyes were the size of dinner plates," Josiah said, dealing cards as he spoke. "You'd think he'd never seen a man naked before."

JD huffed and sorted his hand. "Well, I ain't! 'Cept in the bath house, or swimmin'. It ain't natural."

The others burst into raucous laughter and Buck leaned over to slap JD on the back. They sat around one of the big tables in the saloon, sharing a round of beers and a game of poker. Chris and Vin stuck close together as they had all afternoon.

Noticeable by his absence, Ezra stayed resolutely down at the far end of the bar, glancing over at them occasionally, but mostly nursing the rather large glass of whiskey he kept filling from the bottle next to him.

As the evening wore on, the men filtered out one by one, heading to their respective rooms for some well earned shut-eye. Soon, it was late and the saloon was nearly empty, all but the diehards and a few dirty cowhands had staggered out for the night or gone upstairs. Ezra still leaned heavily on the bar rail, looking as if he were oblivious to anything happening around him. Vin knew better, though. He studied Ezra, and as far as he could tell, he'd never so much as spoken to a single soul. But Vin knew...Ezra was never unaware.

His observations were interrupted when Chris slapped his cards on the table. "I'm out," he said, "I'm tired, and I'm broke, and there's no more whiskey. What say we call it a night?"

Vin peered into his half empty beer glass. "I think I'll just finish this up. You go on ahead, I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Suit yourself," Chris said, pushing away from the table.

After he'd gone, Vin stretched out his legs and propped them up on the chair across from him, where JD had been. He leaned back and took a sip of beer. He noted that Ezra had noted that Chris had gone. A lesser man might have failed to notice that Ezra was also watching _him_. Vin wondered if Ezra realized they were watching each other.

He got his answer a couple minutes later when Ezra finally pried himself away from the bar, taking his glass and snagging the bottle as well. Slowly, and with great deliberation, Ezra made his way over to the table where Vin sat. He stood there for a long moment, regarding Vin. And Vin, for his part, met the gaze with equal candor.

Then Ezra pulled out a chair and sat down. "I gather from this evening's festivities that you and Buck have made your peace with each other..."

"I guess so," Vin said, taking another sip of beer.

"That's marvelous."

"I was right," Vin pointed out, "about Chanu."

Ezra nodded and rolled his glass between his hands. He paused and looked up. "This time."

Vin smirked, drank some beer. "You ain't got everybody figured out. You're real quick to judge, Ezra."

"And you're not quick enough." Ezra poured himself another whiskey, and drank it. "You are somewhat free and easy about granting the benefit of the doubt to unknown persons."

"Can't go around hatin' everybody." Vin smiled and drained his beer glass, licking the last drops off his lip. "Who's gonna watch your back?"

Ezra chuckled. "A fair point."

Reaching across the table, Ezra grabbed Vin's empty beer mug and pulled it over next to his own glass. He poured a healthy measure of whiskey into each one, and then slid the mug back towards Vin. Both men sat motionless for a long moment, the glasses on the table untouched.

Vin raised an eyebrow and watched. Slowly, carefully, Ezra put his hand on the table and curled his fingers around his glass. He paused there, watching back. Their eyes met and Vin took a deep breath. Then he, too, took hold of his drink.

Ezra raised his glass in a toast and took a sip, eyeing Vin over the rim. He held it up after and admired the liquor in the glow from the lamps. "Sometimes...I'm the one who's right, you know."

"That's a fair point, too," Vin said with a nod. He picked up his glass and returned the gesture, taking a long drink.

They both tipped back the last of their whiskey, and Ezra stood up. "I'm pleased that we could settle this amicably," he said, tipping his hat.

"So am I," Vin told him. He offered a hand to Ezra, and when Ezra reached out to shake it, Vin used it to pull himself to his feet. "So am I."

Ezra smirked and they walked out together, before parting ways on the dusty road out front.

END


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